Incoming Region Changes - ASTRA

So browsing Sharepoint and came across this document you may all be interested in, if not already seen.

RAF Air Cadets Astra - Next Steps

Looks like CCFs responsibility will now fall to ATC regional commandants. Oh, and those regional boundaries are being re-written.

I’ve only skimmed so far as wanted to share this to you all :grin:

This should be read in conjunction with the following document (Thanks RC W&W for uploading, standby for 36 replication copies across other Regions / Wing SharePoint Sites)

RAFAC Astra Directive v1.0

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Interesting read - not as long as I’d anticipated and sort of as expected really.

Will be interesting to see the new boundaries.

Disappointed in the letter and initial feedback seems that the boundaries are not being made to align as the letter says.

Now waiting on where the wings that are moving will be and what effect that will have on people.

I wonder if the CCF Test staff will be utilised more for RAFAC work now alongside the TSAs.

This document from AOC 22 Gp is actually really positive. There’s some great bits in there that if they work out will see massive benefits to this organisation.

Loads of talk about bringing us back into a better working relationship with the RAF. Closer ties etc. Talk of access to more funding. Talk of correcting the current issues within flying and gliding. More working with the other CFs.

I particularly like this bit:

I (AOC 22 Gp) will look to all to prioritise RAF Air Cadets Astra activity across their areas of responsibility; it is much more than an additional responsibility. We need to discard activity, process and structures that either hinder or do not contribute to the change required in creating a leading, progressive, and inclusive organisation.

Also:

Above all, we must create time for our people to think, to imagine and to implement change.

Also:

We must address the decline in the condition of our estate, modernise our approach, link support requirements with organisational output in our thinking, correcting weaknesses in logistics, equipment support, information systems and parenting arrangements.

Good stuff so far!

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What’s less good, once more, is the communication method. That needs to be improved or else this will be one giant cluster.

As far as the changes go, I think some are really positive. However, I have no faith in Cmdt AC. None. Under someone else’s leadership, this could work but I’ve yet to see any leadership from our ‘leader’. I certainly haven’t been sold a vision to follow and invest in.

Welcome to ACC! This point is certainly something that needs to change, and has always been broken!

As for the Comdt; maybe this is that exact chance for him to ‘sell you a vision to follow’? I personally have no real issues so far.

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Ultimately we can judge anyone by some fancy words on a page. Delivery is key.

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Absolutely! I just really hope this is delivered well, especially as this has effectively come from AOC 22 Gp. Even if the Comdt isn’t doing it right, there is now someone above who is actively involved too.

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I will bet my house on the fact that the only change we will see is an increase in the admin burden and less flying!

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I agree this is a chance for him to inspire. My point is he isn’t inspiring so far. I don’t have a problem with the concept of the plan. I have a problem with the letter, communication, and his record so far; the method of announcement does nothing to improve on this and does not inspire me with confidence that the aim will be achieve in an overall positive way.

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I Think you’ll find an announcement shall appear with this, as has been the case with the Comdt’s Covid Update Letters, and that RC W&W has jumped the gun here by uploading to the Region SharePoint, that we’ve then stumbled across.

He has communicated with Letters to us similar to this a lot more than his predecessor did throughout her tenure, can’t have your cake & eat it.

His leadership style is certainly less “on the road” and more focused on trying to fix issues I think.

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Got to agree with you here. Leadership isn’t visiting squadrons and getting selfies. He has people to manage and lead. That’s not us at the bottom really. (And the letters have been good, even if I don’t wholly agree with the content, still better than before…)

And yeah, comms once again fails, but that’s RC W&W’s fault, not the Comdt’s! At least this time.

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Funding will be the key issue. Typos aside, the document says there is “now new funding” when I am pretty sure it means “no new funding”, the emphasis on immersive/synthetic/cyber training needs to be backed with resources. None of this is centrally funded. You can’t build a modern training environment, or the IT needed for admin support, based on bag packs.

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Oh damn, I read that as written and was excited the RAF are putting in new funding, you now have me questioning if that is indeed a typo and says no new funding :confused:

Yeah, sorry, but reading through the rest of that section it talks in a way that suggests “no” not “new”

“no new funding” vs “now new funding”. But yeah, it makes more sense if you correct it to “no new funding” in the context of the rest of the paragraph… :grimacing:

Except that CCF(RAF) have been formally informed by email from HQ RAFAC. This is not just about a slip from one RC; I had the document before the OP started this thread.

I’m not asking for a ‘grip and grins’ or ‘on the road’ leader. I’m asking for some inspiration.

HQ RAFAC’s Internal Communications support wasn’t even consulted on the communication of this. Of course that is the Cmdt’s prerogative but I think that’s arrogant/demoralising/poor leadership* (*delete as appropriate).

I entirely agree that he has people ‘upstairs’ to lead. I may be one of those and certainly spend time with such people. They are not being inspired. They are not being led.

I don’t know how it could be right that those at Sqns are not those he needs to lead, however. If he is our leader, he needs to lead us all. It is akin to saying Winston didn’t need to be a leader of Privates, only of Generals.

Totally fair then. Announcements like these really need a proper known strategy in place to deliver them.

Perhaps there is logic there as the only definitive change that will impact a lot of people is the CCF change to RCs